


The air I breath

by whY_jB_whY



Category: GOT7, JJ Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Soft Im Jaebum | JB, he's only soft for jinyoung
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-05 21:46:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11586825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whY_jB_whY/pseuds/whY_jB_whY
Summary: In which Jinyoung kept meeting Jaebum in a series of uneventful events, and when the friendship he seeks from Jaebum blooms into something more, what decisions will the socially awkward engineering student make?Mark suffers while Jackson is dumb and oblivious, and the maknaes...lets just say all of them are idiots— except Youngjae, he's perfect.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this is my first time writing a fanfic so i'm really inexperienced in this area.  
> I hope you guys could give some comments and tips on how to improve my writing, if there are any errors or confusion that i need to fix as this work is unbeta'd and English is not my first language, so i apologize in advance and feel free to give comments and kudos:)))))  
> The first chapter will be short but i'll be writing longer chapters afterwards.  
> Enjoy!

Jinyoung’s patience was running thin. He was trying to enjoy the movie he had been dying to watch since the trailer came out a few months ago. He was determined to make sure he had the time to watch it even though it came out in the middle of the exam week in his university. Jackson had wanted to join him but when Jinyoung came to his apartment to pick him up: he received a text message from the guy instead,

‘Hey man, sorry I can’t make it today!! Got a hot date :))))))) enjoy the movie!! Xoxo’

“Typical Jackson, I should have predicted this,” he mumbled and rolled his eyes. He thought about watching the movie another day but decided against it since he won’t have an opportunity like this again, but now he decided that studying for his exams would be much better than suffering the situation he’s currently in. You see, Jinyoung is a smart man, not just in academics but also in managing his life. Regardless of being the last child in his family, he had always been mature and quick to come up with sophisticated answers to every situation— causing a scene and getting dragged out of the cinema not being one of it.

“Let go of me! Hey! You’ve got the wrong person, I’m innocent! It was that guy’s fault!” Jinyoung squirmed as he was being dragged by the staff—pointing an accusing finger to the culprit— who ambled towards the exit without giving as much of a glance towards him.

By the time he got shoved out of the cinema— tumbling in front of an old couple who gave him a disapproving look— the guy was already out of his sight. “Fuck!” he cussed, rubbing his face with the palms of his hands to relief some of the tension.

“You sure got a nasty mouth for such a pretty face,”

Jinyoung yelped. _Oh my god where did he come from? I thought he was gone_. He swiftly gained his composure and shifted towards the bane of his life. Any remark he could have thought of at the moment got stuck in his throat as he finally got a clear view of the guy: jet black hair pushed back to reveal a glorious forehead, sharp eyes adorn with twin moles under his left eyebrow, prominent cheekbones and luscious lips, his ears decorated with several piercings, a jawline that could kill— _how many centuries did god spent on carving his face? And those shoulders! Gosh! This is illegal. Those thighs are illegal! Just. Wow_.

Jinyoung cleared his throat. His face gaining colour as he realized how long he had been staring. The guy however, seems unperturbed by his gaze, casually leaning to the wall beside him with his arms crossed and face unreadable. Jinyoung took deep breaths and tried to obtain his senses. _Get a grip, Jinyoung. Control your gay ass! Remember why you’re here in the first place_. He straightened his posture and glowered at the guy “Who are you? And why are you still here after the mess you just put me through?”

“Im Jaebum,” the guy muttered. “I wanted to apologize, although it wasn’t my fault we got kicked out in the beginning. Technically, it was you that threw the popcorn at me and threatened to rip my legs if I didn’t stop kicking your seat. This, by the way— u overdramatic lump— if I’m not mistaken was only three times. What a waste of money and food. The movie was starting to get interesting too. You even made the little girl beside me cry.” Jaebum stated.

To say he was stunned was an understatement—Jinyoung was furious. He didn’t expect the situation would turn out to be like this. _What kind of apology is that? Overdramatic lump? Seriously?!_. He crossed his arms and glared at Jaebum. He was not going to let Jaebum put all the blame on him despite the rational part of his brain telling him that what he had said was true. All the stress from weeks of studying and the effects of little to no sleep had accumulated and lead him to do the only thing he was capable of doing at the moment— he cried.

Tears started to well in his eyes. Jaebum’s eyes widened, his expressionless face before morphed into panic and concern. He quickly went to Jinyoung’s side when his sniffles turned into sobs. “H-hey... don’t cry. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you or anything,” he mumbled, his hands awkwardly rubbing circles on the stranger’s back, hoping it would calm him down as the guy started to shove his face in the crook of his neck, hands gripping the front of his shirt tightly. 

“I-I’m sorry. I-I didn’t me-mean to cry l-like this,” Jinyoung blubbered. He squeezed his eyes and pressed them to Jaebum’s shoulder. He mentally face palmed himself. _Great Jinyoung, from throwing popcorns to crying in front of the said guy, how more can you embarrass yourself today?_ At least Jackson wasn’t there to witness his pathetic ass. As Jinyoung’s tears subside, he realized that they were not the only ones in the area. Blinded by his rage earlier, he didn’t notice the group of girls and a couple of families lounging near the entrance of the cinema. Some were acting as if they didn’t just witnessed what had happened while some were clearly amused. 

His face turned scarlet. Embarrassed to death, he buried his face deeper on the crook of Jaebum’s neck, hoping it would make him vanish from reality. A few minutes past, accompanied by the sound of Jinyoung’s sniffles, Jaebum’s hands finally stop moving as he laid them on top of Jinyoung’s shoulders. He pushed him away slowly to get a clear look at Jinyoung’s tear-stained face and gave him a warm smile.

“As much as I like getting my favourite shirt wet by a stranger after he ruined my day and threw popcorns at me,’ he paused and gently wiped the stray tear on Jinyoung’s cheek, “ I think it’s best for us to clear this out somewhere more comfortable and without people ogling, don’t you think? Also, I think you could use some coffee and sweets.” Jaebum grabbed his wrist and began to lead the way. Jinyoung was drained, so he followed Jaebum wordlessly. _Coffee and sweets doesn’t sound too bad at the moment_.

“Oh, I haven’t even got your name!” Jaebum said, turning to face him, eyebrow raised as he carelessly walked backwards, almost running into a pole in the process.

“Jinyoung. Call me Jinyoung,” he said, smiling for the first time that day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, this is my first time writing a fanfic so i'm really inexperienced in this area.  
> I hope you guys could give some comments and tips on how to improve my writing, if there are any errors or confusion that i need to fix as this work is unbeta'd and English is not my first language, so i apologize in advance and feel free to give comments and kudos:)))))

When Jinyoung arrived at his apartment after finishing his last paper that day, he was surprised to see Jackson sprawled on the sofa in his living room. They haven’t met since the day they went out for dinner together with Mark, which was a day before Jinyoung’s episode at the cinema and that had happened almost two weeks ago. Shivers ran down his spine as he recalled the memory. The embarrassment still haunted him till today and he refused to let anyone know the about the incident—not even his roommate and best friend, Mark.

Jackson didn’t seem to realize his presence, too focus on playing the game on his phone, so Jinyoung casually went to the kitchen to quench his thirst after a long day— but not before shoving his backpack onto Jackson’s stomach. He ignored Jackson’s yells of despair as he focused on the sensation of the water cooling down his throat. His mood instantly brightened.

He turned to face Jackson when he heard his footsteps nearing. “What the fuck man! Can’t you just greet me like a normal person? You could have ruined my abs! My glorious abs!” Jackson ranted. Nose scrunched and eyebrows furrowed to show his displeasure. He took a seat on the opposite of Jinyoung, resting his hands on the kitchen counter as he continued to rant about how much effort it took for him to get his ‘perfect’ body.

Jinyoung rolled his eyes. “You call yourself perfect but your legs tell a different story,’ he jabbed. Jackson look scandalized. “RUDE!” he shouted. ”My legs are not that short! You may have the best peach on the campus Park Jinyoung but my thighs are to die for! Do you know how many men and women come to me every day to worship these pair of fine looking thighs?!” to emphasize his statement, Jackson draped his left leg over the counter and tugged Jinyoung’s hand. “Here, feel it so you know what you’ve been missing out!”

Jinyoung chuckled at Jackson’s antics. He gave a little squeeze at Jackson’s firm thighs to please him. “Oh wow… You’re right Jackson, I’ve been missing out on a lot of things but you’re clearly not on top of my list,” he added a wink at the end and snorted as Jackson’s frown deepened.

“Humph, whatever, it’s your loss.” He shoved jinyoung’s hand away. “So, aren’t you curious to know why I’m here?” he batted his eyelashes, adjusting his position on the seat so he can face Jinyoung properly.

“I thought you were waiting for Mark. He won’t be coming back for a few more hours, by the way, had something to do with his group project not getting approved by his professor or something,” 

Jinyoung put his glass in the sink and went to take out a few canned drinks for himself and Jackson. Knowing Jackson, he probably drank a few already, but being a good host—even though it’s just JACKSON— and having good manners once in a while never hurts. Jackson thanked him as he hand over the drink to him, gulping down the content, and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he placed the drink on the counter.

“Nope, I’m not here to see Mark, granted it would be a blessing to see his beautiful face this lovely evening but no, I’m here to see you, Park Jinyoung,” he winked.” The exams are finally over and it’s been weeks since we’ve hangout, so I decided to catch up on you today,” Jackson smiled and laid his head on his hands, eyes focused on Jinyoung. 

Jinyoung was touched. The loud and boisterous Jackson Wang—the most popular guy in the campus, the best fencing athlete with good looks and not-to-mention flirts like he’s breathing air, the guy that barges into everyone’s life and breaks hearts without him intending to, and the most oblivious person to Mark’s advances (which Mark never stops complaining about every day) — literally came to his house to spend quality time with him. This, ladies and gentlemen, only happens once in a blue moon; and Jinyoung gets to be the lucky one on the receiving end this time.

Jinyoung pursed his lips and thought about all the things they could talk about and do that day. Jackson’s always generous in this state. He remembered the day Jackson treated Mark like a prince that one day. Mark was overjoyed and couldn’t stop rambling to him about how sweet Jackson was to him: bringing him flowers and sweets, taking him to dinner and they watched movies all night on the couch— _OMG JINYOUNG DO YOU THINK HE FINALLY NOTICE MY FEELINGS FOR HIM?!!!_ — Only to come back home dejected the next day, face sour and on the verge of tears, as he told Jinyoung that Jackson only did that because he was in one of his rare moods. He was about to voice out his request but was startled by the words that came out of Jackson’s mouth afterwards,

“Did you get yourself laid yet?” The mood instantly broken.

“WH—WHAT?!” eyes bewildered, he studied Jackson’s blank face, but he didn’t miss the mischievous glint in his eyes that Jinyoung knows too well. _And I thought today would be my lucky day_. He sighed.

“You heard me,” Jackson stated, face no longer serious. “Judging by your reaction, I would guess that’s a no. Huh, no wonder you’re always so uptight,” A smirk playing on his lips as he went back to lie down on the couch in the living room. 

“I am not uptight.” Jinyoung pouted as he followed Jackson.. He pushed Jackson's feet away so he could take his place on the couch as well. 

“Uhh… Dude, not to be rude or anything but you’re one of the most uptight person I’ve ever met. You spent most of your time studying and when you’re not in the library, grinding your ass off 24/7, you’re either sleeping or on your laptop watching documentaries,” Jackson snorted at the thought. _Who does that? Watch documentaries… to relieve stress? HAH. Only Park Jinyoung would_.

Jinyoung groaned. He couldn’t argue with that. It was true. He wasn’t like most of his colleague who went to parties and socializes on their free time to release stress. He prefers to read books and increase his knowledge rather than wasting his time meeting people that don’t meet up to his standards. Jackson, on the other hand, was the total opposite of him.

Jackson had known Jinyoung for almost 2 years. In Jackson’s opinion, Jinyoung is an enigma—he doesn’t work the way Jackson and most of his friends do. Every time Jackson invites him to go to one of those parties his teammate always held during the weekends, Jinyoung would decline and opted to stay indoors. Jackson gets it: Jinyoung’s an introvert, he’s best friends with Mark who Jackson thought was mute the first time he met him, but even the shy and soft-spoken Mark knows how to let loose. He had witnessed it himself at one of Yugyeom’s party. Yugyeom is Jackson’s friend that enrolled in a dance university located three blocks away from his apartment. Jinyoung had met him once and despised him ever since. He doesn’t know what had happened between the two, but he figured they would eventually work it out. _It always works out. Just look at him and Jinyoung now_.

“Let’s go,” Jackson sprang up and rushed to the door.

“W-Wait. Where are you going?” Jinyoung blurted as he stood up from his position.

“WE...,” he said as he pointed to Jinyoung and himself, the other hand turning the doorknob. ”are going to have some fun.”

“No. No way, I just got home. My brain needs some rest— hey!! Jackson! Slow down!” He shouted as Jackson dragged him out from his apartment to who-knows-where.  
“Forget about your brain, by the time we get there you won’t even need one.” Jackson exclaimed. He pushed the elevator buttons and let go of Jinyoung’s wrist once he was sure the guy won’t try to escape.

Jinyoung sighed. Arguing with Jackson won’t get him anywhere. The guy always wins. “Alright, just this once. Besides, I won’t need to be seeing you for the next few weeks since we don’t even take the same course, and you—Mr. Popular— would be too busy hanging out with your fans to bother me. So, where exactly are we going?”

“We’re going to do some activities that require us to purchase goods from store.”

“You mean… shopping?”

“Exactly,” Jackson exclaimed, grin wide as he entered the elevator.

Jinyoung rubbed his face with the palms of his hands. _This is going to be a very long day…_

**~.~.~.~.~.~**

”It feels like shopping mall~ My-My-My shopping mall~”

“Shut up, Jackson. I swear to god I’ll choke you if you don’t stop singing that.” He warned Jackson for the hundredth time. Leaving the guy behind, so he won’t have to handle his annoying ass.

“Oooh! Kinky!” Jackson shouted and jumped on Jinyoung’s back, hanging on him like a koala. “I can’t help it. The song’s catchy and it was the perfect time for me to sing it.”  
“Whatever. Just, get off me. People are staring.”

“HAH!!! Of course they would stare, I’m irresistible,” he exclaimed, but got down anyways since he doesn’t want to embarrass Jinyoung too much. “Now that we are here… Let’s go get you some new outfits!” Jackson cheered, pulling Jinyoung to the first clothing store he could spot.

“Jackson, I don’t need more clothes. I have plenty” He protested.

“Huh, there is no such thing as too many clothes, my dear child. Now go choose and test out the ones you like, it’s on me.” Jackson said as he went to look at some of the clothes for himself.

_Ugh, why am I friends with rich people. They act like money grows on trees. Jackson probably does though... If he doesn’t use that brain of his, he’ll eventually turn into a piece of walking meat._

Nevertheless, Jinyoung went to browse along the t-shirts section. He figured he could buy some since he doesn't own a lot of casual t-shirts, and maybe pick one or two jackets.  
_Jackson's loaded anyways_. 

“Hey Jackson, help me out. Do you think the ‘hype’ strawberry shirt or ‘I eat chocolate periodically” shirt would go bette—Oomph” Jinyoung startled as Jackson’s hand came flying to his mouth. He was dragged and shoved into a fitting room, head flying first to the nearest wall with a loud thump. Jinyoung groaned. _Why am I getting dragged and shoved all around these days?_ He held his head and turned towards Jackson who was peeking outside through the door. “What is wrong with you?! I almost got a concussion! Ouch—“ he hissed as the pain started to throb.

Jackson ignored his complains. He turned towards Jinyoung and grabbed his shoulders, “You remember that day when we we’re supposed to go to the movies together?” Jackson whispered. His face was so tense, Jinyoung almost laughed. “Y-yeah. Why? Is he out there? — It’s a he right? Are you still Bi? I’m confused. Whatever, just answer the first one” Jackson nodded vigorously. His face turning pale. 

“Okay… so? I don’t get it. What’s wrong with your ‘hot date’ being in the same place as you?” he questioned. Arms crossed as he waited for Jackson’s explanation.  
“I don’t have time to explain. This is urgent! Stay here, okay? I’ll be back, **STAY!** ” Jackson commanded. He bolted out of the door before Jinyoung could even protest. Jinyoung was dumbfounded. He let out a few sighs as he went to lock the door. 

When he turned and saw his reflection in the mirror provided, he almost didn’t recognize himself. His hair was disheveled, eye bags prominent and lips drier than the desert, his clothes don’t match and his shoes worn out.

“You’re a mess, Jinyoung.” He mumbled.

Jackson was right. He needed to let loose once in a while, not in a JINYOUNG type of way, and also not the way Jackson does to relieve his stress. _You need to meet new people, Jinyoung_. Mark’s words echoes in his mind. When Mark suggested this the first time he came back almost as the same state as he was currently in, Jinyoung had shrugged him off, telling him that he doesn’t need more friends and the ones he already has was enough, but the idea doesn’t seem too bad right at the moment. 

Maybe he did need to meet new people, make new friends; he needed to get out of his old life-style and start anew. Mark and Jackson are great friends, but the way they live their lives are different from Jinyoung’s and making new ones doesn’t mean he’s replacing or abandoning them.. He needs to find someone who understands, someone who has the same taste as him but a slightly different personality, someone that knows what it’s like to enjoy the indoors but doesn’t miss the opportunity to go outside once in a while, someone that can push Jinyoung to the right direction, someone he can rely on. _It almost sounds impossible. There's no way such a person exists_. 

As Jinyoung was busy sorting out his life, he didn’t notice the sound of the fitting room next-door being closed, signaling someone has entered to occupy the room. Jinyoung screeched when something thumped the walls next to him. A few grunts could be heard flowing from the person’s mouth, “Shit, I should’ve picked a bigger size. Ugh!”

“Umm.. Is everything okay?” Jinyoung asked timidly.

“Oh.. Mmm.. Hi” the guy answered, “How long have you’ve been in there?”

“I don’t know, actually.” _Why does his voice sounds familiar…_

“Oh.. Okay.. Umm… Err…” 

“Do you need any help with anything besides learning how to make full sentences?” Jinyoung jabbed. He almost regretted opening his mouth but was relieved when the guy chuckled at his remark. “Yes, I do actually. Sorry but I’m kind of stuck, and I mean LITERALLY stuck right now. Apparently the shirt I took was too small and I don’t think I can take it off without ripping it to shreds, so if you don’t mind…” He trailed off.

Jinyoung stood up, fixing his appearance to make sure he was decent enough, and went out the door to save the maiden in distress. Unfortunately, the guy’s door was locked. “You need to unlock the door first,” he stated. A few more thumps and curses followed and Jinyoung decided the guy was helpless. “Sorry dude, I can’t bend towards the lock. You need to find another way in.”

Jinyoung sighed. He looked around and discovered there were only two openings; one at the bottom of the door and the other at the top. The top had a bigger opening so he climbed up and instructed the guy to make room so he could fit in. He slipped as he landed; causing him to knock into the guy, hands automatically settling on the guy’s hip to stabilize himself. "Ah, sorry," he apologized, retracting his hands as if they were burned, blushing; he was relieved the guy’s head was covered so he couldn’t see how embarrassed he was. The feeling of awkwardness increased as he noticed their bodies were only inches apart from each other due to the tight space.

Jinyoung assessed the victim in front of him, his hands dangling awkwardly and head covered by the shirt that was currently stretched across his broad shoulders. Jinyoung let his eyes lingered towards his chest and abs that were exposed, following the fine layer of hair that disappeared into his ripped jeans. 

"Umm... Hello?” 

“Sorry, I was just analyzing the situation,” Jinyoung mumbled awkwardly, gripping the shirt to help free the guy’s head first. 

“Analyzing… are you sure you weren’t ‘analyzing’ something else?” he questioned. Jinyoung opened his mouth to answer but groaned instead when he finally saw the guy’s face, hair disheveled and arms still stuck in the shirt. “Jinyoung? Whoa… I didn’t expect to see you again, not in THIS condition. Man, you look awful, had a rough day?” Jaebum laughed, eyes turning into crescents. 

“Shut up, last time I checked it wasn’t me who got stuck in a shirt a size too small,” he muttered as he helped Jaebum free his arms from the tight grip. “What made you pick this size anyways? It’s smaller than the size of your head!” 

Jaebum took the shirt from Jinyoung, folding it and setting it aside, he gave Jinyoung a once over as he put on his grey shirt and black jacket, “I guess I didn’t realize how BIG I was,” he snorted as Jinyoung narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t have the energy to deal with another idiot today, goodbye.” he sassed, opening the door and making his way out but was stopped abruptly as he was met face-to-face with a woman—which he assumed was one of the workers, judging by her black polo shirt and nametag— her expression altered from surprise to perplex as she saw the two men together. Jinyoung grunted, anger rising as Jaebum’s laughter echoes from behind. _I hope Jackson’s situation is worse than mine. Dammit!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll post once a week for the incoming chapters, or less than a week, depends.  
> I hope you like this chapter, it was fun for me to write(๑>ᴗ<๑)


	3. Chapter 3

“Why are you not mad?” Jaebum questioned, walking besides Jinyoung as they wandered aimlessly after getting kicked out—and BANNED— from the shop.

“Why should I be?” Jinyoung asked, face void of any emotions. “I’m not mad for getting banned from the shop just now since I don’t even go out as much, and there are plenty of other shops that sell much better clothing, but I am kind of disappointed that they didn’t even bother to let me explain what had happened and making abrupt assumptions about us.” Jaebum nodded at his explanation.

“Do I even look like someone who enjoys doing those things in public?” he voiced out,” It must be your fault,” Jaebum faced him with an amused expression as Jinyoung continued, “You have that bad-boy type of aura, you’re trouble. Heck, it’s only been twice but I bet the next time I see you, I won’t even be allowed to leave my apartment. Stay away from me, Im Jaebum.” he warned, pointing a finger towards Jaebum.

A few minutes passed, staring into each other’s eyes, the silence broken as Jaebum’s full-blown laughter echoes, head thrown back and eyes disappearing. Jinyoung sighed, trying to maintain his poker face but he couldn’t help but smile, “You are so over-dramatic, Jinyoung.” Jaebum uttered as he finally gained control of himself, wiping the tears from his eyes that had leaked from laughing too hard. 

“C’mon, let’s go find something to eat,” Jaebum suggested. He took Jinyoung’s hands in his, linking their fingers together as he pulled Jinyoung—who was totally flustered at the moment, too shocked at Jaebum’s sudden move, following obediently as his eyes kept darting back and forth between their hands and the back of Jaebum’s head, “Err… w-wait, where are you taking me?” _Why are we holding hands?_

“We’re going to have dinner, Jinyoung. Don’t worry; it’s on me, as a token of gratitude for helping me out back then.” Jaebum stated, glancing at Jinyoung’s red face, giving him a reassuring smile before turning his head. 

Jinyoung knew he should protest. It was not like him to let anyone—especially someone he barely knew— to get anywhere near him without some resistance, but there he was with a guy he only met twice; by accident, knowing nothing about him besides his name, holding hands as they made their way to have dinner.

_Yep. Trouble…You should run before it’s too late, Jinyoung_.

**~.~.~.~.~**

After 10 minutes of walking in silence, hands still loosely intertwined, warm and damp from the heat of each other’s palm. In other circumstances, Jinyoung would think it’s disgusting. He never liked holding hands or any other form of skinship. Jackson and Mark were the ones who craved for physical contact; they would take the chance to initiate skinship with anyone they knew, the victim would usually be him, however those moments only lasted for a few seconds as Jinyoung would shrugged them off afterwards. Yet he found himself not minding the feeling of their sweaty hands at the moment and was kind of overwhelmed with how much he enjoyed it— shocking himself when he unconsciously caressed the back of Jaebum’s hands with his thumb along the way, and was slightly relieved that Jaebum didn’t point out his actions although he could see that his ears were starting to turn red.

Jinyoung admired his surroundings. They were heading towards a restaurant near the river. It was near the shopping complex, but the landscape made it felt like he was in another part of the country, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The grass were soft green that almost had a hint of blue; the trees bloomed, branches swaying in the wind; flowers were scattered across the field and pavements, coloring the area with specks of blue, pink, red, yellow and violet; and the sky was breathtaking, at the edge of the cloud there was a brilliant white patch, like a turning page catching the sun. The rest was dove grey with a subtle hint of purple, just enough to announce the coming sunset.

It was almost the end of June, he could see a few groups of friends and couples enjoying their time, admiring the remnants of spring as the summer vacations were nearing. Jinyoung was glad Jackson forced him to go outside today, as he would have missed the opportunity to savor the feel of the evening sun on his skin—not enough to burn— but just the right amount of heat to warm his body, the tiredness from before slowly seeping away as the wind grazed his cheeks.

“We’re here,” Jaebum announced, snapping him out of his stupor as he finally let go of their hands. Jinyoung tucked his hands in his pocket, suddenly feeling cold and empty from the loss of contact as Jaebum lead them into the restaurant, greeting the waitress with a slight bow as she accompanied them to their seats near the windows.

After they had ordered their food, Jinyoung noticed that Jaebum was fidgeting in his seat, head turning left and right, “What are you looking for?” he questioned.

“Oh nothing, I was just looking for my friend. His parents own this restaurant, but it seems like he’s not working today” Jaebum stated, head turned towards the window beside him.

Jinyoung nodded.

“Mm… How old are you?” he asked, internally cringing at his attempt to make a conversation. _Why am I even trying? Ugh…_

“I’m twenty-two years old this year, what about you?” Jaebum questioned, facing Jinyoung, head leaning on his hands casually.

“I’m twenty one, turning twenty-two this September. Oh, you’re not that older than me then.” 

“What? How old do you thought I was?” 

“I don’t know. Twenty-five or something? I’m not saying that you look _old_ ,” he proclaimed, Jaebum’s face turning sour at his statement. ”It’s just that you look more mature… I guess…” he trailed awkwardly. 

“Okay… If you say so,” Jaebum muttered.

The silence stretched out between them, Jinyoung’s eyes darting back and forth between Jaebum—who was shamelessly staring at his face, seeming lost in his thoughts— and the surface of the table between them. _This is so awkward. Why is he staring at me like that? When will the food come so I can get this over with?!_

“You should address me as Jaebum-hyung then,” Jaebum stated, snapping Jinyoung out of his thoughts, a smirk forming on his lips. “Since I’m older than you and look more ‘mature’, Jinyoung-ah,”

The sound of Jinyoung’s phone ringing had interrupted him from objecting to Jaebum’s demands. He answered his phone; not bothering to check the caller id since he predicted it would be Jackson anyways,

“Hello?”

“JINYOUNG! I almost forgot about you, gosh! Where are you?! I know you’re not in the fitting room anymore!” Jackson screeched. Jinyoung grimaced, _why Jackson has to be so loud all the time…_

“No, I’m not even at that shopping complex anymore Jackson. Look, you can go home now, I’m fine. I’m just having dinner—“

“Dinner?! You’re having dinner without me?! Tell me where you’re at; I’ll be there in a jiff!”

Jinyoung hesitated. He glanced at Jaebum, wanting to ask if he didn’t mind if Jackson joined them, but Jaebum was already extending his hand—apparently he had heard Jackson’s demands over the phone— as a silent request for him to pass over the phone to him, which Jinyoung did wordlessly, slightly curious to what he might do.

Jaebum smiled at him, _is this guy always this smiley?_ Face blank as he answered the phone.

“Hello?? Jinyoung~ why are you not answering meeeee?!”

“We’re at a restaurant by the river bank. It’s the only restaurant there so it won’t be hard to miss. Goodbye.” Jaebum ended the call before Jackson could answer, passing the phone back to Jinyoung.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Jinyoung scratched the back of his neck. He wasn’t expecting Jaebum to simply invite Jackson to join them, “it’s okay. He can join us, but I won’t be paying for his food. So, who was that?” 

“That’s Jackson,” he paused, thanking the waitress as she interrupted them to place their food on the table. “He’s my friend. We go to the same university. I should warn you that Jackson’s pretty loud, but he means well. So, don’t take it to heart if he does something that can be considered rude in our culture; he’s a foreigner after all.”

“Does he have blond hair?”

“Yeah, do you know him?” 

“Umm.. No, but I can see from here that there’s a guy, with blond hair, running like a madman in this direction,” Jaebum stated, pointing towards the said person.  
Jinyoung followed his gaze outside the glass door, his face scrunched in embarrassment as his eyes landed on the figure, “No, I was wrong. You _shouldn’t_ have invited him at all.”

**~.~.~.~.~**

Jackson stared at his phone, eyes wide and mouth agape. He was stunned.

“Who was that? That is not Jinyoung’s voice. Oh my god is he okay?! I shouldn’t have left him alone!” Jackson shrieked, pacing back and forth near the ice-cream stand in front of the shop he left Jinyoung. He ignored the looks given his way, totally immune to it by now.

“No. Calm down Jackson! This is not the time to panic!” Jackson slapped his face, trying to get his senses back. _There has to be a logical explanation for this… BUT I CAN’T THINK OF ANY!_

Jackson rubbed his face with his palms, taking deep breaths to calm his nerves.“Ah.. I’m just over-thinking.” Jackson mumbled, making his way towards the restaurant the guy on the phone stated. He had been there a few times so he was familiar with the path. He tried to stay calm, steps even as he glimpse at the scenery along the way, but his mind won’t stop replaying the foreign voice on Jinyoung’s phone, leading him to speculate and overthink, yet again.

He was not familiar with the voice, so it was not someone from his university; and Jackson knows practically everyone in his university; he remembers their surname, where they’re from, and their birthdays; all of those stuff other people would usually dismiss unless it belongs to someone close to them. _Maybe it’s one of Jinyoung’s friends I never met…_ Jackson shook his head, feeling dizzy all of a sudden. 

The minutes passed, and the scenarios in Jackson’s head started to get from bad to worse. _Jinyoung has been stressed lately. What if the guy saw him looking vulnerable, all by himself, and took advantage of him? What if by the time I get there, he won’t even be there anymore? What if…_

Jackson sprinted. He couldn’t take it anymore. He had to get to the restaurant as soon as possible. “JINYOUNG! I’M COMING, JINYOUNG! I’LL SAVE YOU!!” he shouted, mouthing apologies as he pushed his way through the crowd. He was a man on a mission. He doubled his speed when the restaurant was finally in his sight, pushing his legs muscles to the limit.

Jackson scrambled through the door, catching his breath as his eyes scanned the diners that were looking at him, some were confused and some were annoyed. His eyes finally landed on Jinyoung, sitting near the end by the window, hiding his head in his hands. “Jinyoung!” Jackson bolted towards him, immediately enveloping him in a hug. “You’re here! You’re alive!” He squealed; relief washed over him as he inspected Jinyoung who was trying desperately to get out of his grip. “What’s wrong with you, Jackson? Of course I’m alive, I’m just having dinner. I’m not going to war or something.” Jinyoung exclaimed, feeling irritated and embarrassed.

“I was so worried! My poor Jinyoungie all alone with— ooh spaghetti!” Jackson let go of Jinyoung abruptly, adjusting his position on the seat and dragged the plate of Carbonara towards him. Jackson ignored Jinyoung’s complains, saying that he didn’t get to taste it yet, he took a big bite and almost choked as his eyes darted towards the physique currently watching them in amusement. “Mmm… hi,” the stranger spoke. 

_This must be the guy on the phone! He doesn’t look like a kidnapper though. Ugh, I over-reacted for nothing._

Jackson straightened his posture, swallowing the food before he introduced himself, “HI! I’m Jackson, but you can call me J-flawless,” he smirked, earning a sigh from Jinyoung. “Have we met before? I think I’ve seen you somewhere…” Jackson asked, shoving another spoonful of spaghetti into his mouth as he scrutinized the man before him.  
_There’s no way I would forget a face like that_.

“I don’t think so. You must have mistaken me for someone else. I’m Jaebum, by the way.” He stated, avoiding Jackson’s gaze. 

“Oh, my bad. So how long have you two been friends? Jinyoung never mentioned you before.” Jackson muttered, glancing at Jinyoung, his confusion rising at the annoyed look on the guy’s face.

“We only met twice actually,” Jaebum stated. His eyes landed on Jinyoung’s and shifted back towards the food that Jackson was shamelessly devouring, “Aren’t you eating Jinyoung?”

“It’s okay. I’m not hungry anymore.” Jinyoung pouted. 

Jackson stared at Jinyoung, eyebrows raised in confusion at his expression. _Is he pouting?_

“You have to eat Jinyoung. Here, have some of mine,” Jaebum pushed his plate towards Jinyoung in which the guy rejected, saying that Jaebum himself hadn’t even touched the food yet. Jackson was about to shove the spoon of spaghetti in his hands into Jinyoung’s mouth to end the argument, but decided against it. His curiosity building as he watched their interactions.

“I can just order another plate.” Jaebum stated. 

“No. Then you have to wait for your food again.”

“Just eat the food, Jinyoung.”

“I told you I’m not hungry anymore.” Jinyoung protested.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying.”

“C’mon, Jinyoung-ah. Stop acting like a child and eat the food. Or do you just want me to feed you?” 

“Maybe you’re the one who is acting like a child; and I can feed myself, thank you very much.”

A sigh left Jaebum’s lips. Jackson stared at the empty plate before him, feeling guilty as he hadn’t plan to finish the food, but got carried away as he listened to the banter going on between the two. 

Jaebum dragged the plate back towards him, scooping a spoonful of noodles and gulping it down. Jackson thought the guy had finally gave up, but his eyes widened as Jaebum scooped another spoonful of the food and extended it towards Jinyoung’s lips who was in the same state of shock as him. 

_Dude! Retreat! Retreat! Bad idea! You’re gonna get yourself killed!_

Jackson shook his head discreetly at Jaebum, hoping Jaebum would understand his attempt to save the guy’s ass and back off, but Jaebum was stubborn. Jackson sighed. _Great! Suit yourself! Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you!_

Jackson watched as Jinyoung’s eyes narrowed. Lips pursed as Jaebum kept poking it with the spoon. “Just one bite, _please_. I told you I wanted to treat you for dinner, and it would make me sad if you leave without eating anything,” Jaebum muttered, eyebrows pinched, his bottom lip stuck out as he tilted his head sideways. Jackson thought it was a cute gesture, but knowing how stubborn Jinyoung is, he wouldn’t even blink his eyes even if Jaebum begged on his knees. However, he was proved wrong, almost having a heart attack when Jinyoung slowly opened his mouth, letting Jaebum feed him, a look of triumph plastered on Jaebum’s face as he watched Jinyoung chewed on the food. 

“It’s good.” Jinyoung muttered as he swallowed the food, ignoring Jackson’s stare as he watched Jaebum eat. “I don’t mind if you feed me again,” he blurted, his determined eyes locking with Jaebum’s wide ones. Jaebum’s face turned red as a lobster.

“A-Are you sure?”

Jinyoung gave a small nod. He inched closer towards him, his knees brushed against Jaebum’s as his gaze followed the movements of Jaebum’s hands. He opened his mouth when Jaebum shifted the spoon towards him. The food was really good, and it tasted better as Jaebum kept feeding him, and before he knew it, he had finished the whole plate.

“And you said you weren’t hungry.” Jaebum chuckled, placing the spoon on the empty plate.

Jinyoung took a sip of water. “It tasted better than I expected. I’m sorry, hyung. You only ate some of it. Do you want to order something else? I can wa—“

“it’s okay,” Jaebum shook his head. He ruffled Jinyoung’s hair as he stood up, his hand resting on Jinyoung’s head a few seconds more before letting it fall to his side. “I’m glad you enjoyed the food. I’ll be going now, i'd like to stay and chat but i have some plans tonight, and don’t worry the food is on me.” Jaebum gave a small wave as he made his way, a warm smile adorning his face.

Jinyoung’s eyes followed Jaebum’s back, a soft sigh leaving his mouth. He snapped out of his daze when he heard a cough, eyes landing on Jackson’s. “Why are you still here?”

“I’m so confused, right now.I just watched you two _flirt_ , and you guys ignored me the whole time. You have a lot of explanation to do Jinyoung, and I recalled that Jaebum said you guys only met twice, but the whole situation seems like you’ve known each other for years! He ruffled your hair Jinyoung! The guy you only met twice just touched your head and you didn’t even flinch! I—“

Jinyoung ignored Jackson’s rambling, his eyes settled on the spot where Jaebum had occupied earlier. His hand wandered to his head, playing with the ends of his hair.  
The clock kept ticking, Jackson had stopped talking but he made Jinyoung wait for him as he ordered another plate of spaghetti—

'That's not organic Jackson, and I thought you were strict with your diet.'  
'Shut up!'

but the warmth of Jaebum's hand still lingered on his head, his heart beating faster and his cheeks began to warm as his mind stayed on the image of Jaebum's face when he fed Jinyoung; his eyes soft and smile unfaltering.

_I’m just as confused as you are, Jackson…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so hype for jjp's comeback tomorrow!  
> Hve you guys watched the album spoiler video?!! All the songs are sooo gooood!! ヽ(＾Д＾)ﾉ  
> I preordered their album and i think it's worth every penny! Please support JJP(arents) comeback! dont forget to stream the mv when it comes out on youtube! 
> 
> anyways, i hope you guys liked this chapter. Poor Jackson, getting ignored all the time. ╥﹏╥  
> but Jinyoung cant ignore him forever, he's Jackson after all (／≧ω＼)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey hey!!
> 
> First of all.. I'm really sorry for the delay! i did say that i would post every week but it's been a month? or more? i dont remember...  
> and i'm really sorry! the past weeks ive been travelling a lot with my family and also friends so i didnt have time to write, and when i did, the words just wont come out (∥￣■￣∥) is that what you call writers block???  
> anyways.. so here's the 4th chapter! i wanted to make it longer but i think i should split it into the the next one..
> 
> enjoy! and feel free to leave comments!

Jinyoung watched as Jackson’s lips curled, involuntarily— and he fought back hard as his cheeks swelled momentarily with the pressure— but it was no use. His laughter erupted, echoing within the living room of Jinyoung’s apartment, panting as he bent over, slapping his knee repeatedly.

Jinyoung groaned. He picked up the magazine on the table near him and aimed for Jackson’s head but it didn’t stop him from laughing. “Shut up, Jackson! You promised me that you wouldn’t laugh if I told you what had happened.”

“I’m sorry!” Jackson gasped, “It’s just… I can’t believe you did that! Oh my god, I should have gone to the movies with you so I could witness it myself… and you cried? _You?_ Crying and snuggling a stranger?! HAHAHA! And you made a bigger mess of yourself when he treated you to coffee?! _This is gold_ ,” Jackson clutched his stomach as it started to hurt from laughing so hard.

“We did not snuggle, you idiot! I just laid my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around me— ugh STOP laughing!” He threatened to hit him again if Jackson didn’t stop but his words fell on deaf ears. Jinyoung pressed his face against the pillow on the couch, his face starting to heat at how embarrassed he was feeling. It was a mistake. He shouldn’t have told Jackson anything, but the guy won’t stop bugging him. Jackson kept asking on and on about his relationship with Jaebum the moment they stepped out of the restaurant till they arrived at his apartment—which was ridiculous since Jackson’s apartment wasn’t even near his and it was already 10 p.m. 

The guy was stubborn, but Jinyoung finally decided to give in and told him what had happened—starting from when he threw the popcorns to the incident at the café. He had thought that everything would run smoothly the day of the incident; he and Jaebum would get some coffee, have a little chat, Jinyoung would apologize for what he did and they would part ways— but he _might_ have overestimated himself.

He was an awkward mess the moment he took a step into the café, bumping into chairs and tables, earning a few annoyed looks that he tried so hard to ignore as Jaebum guided him to their seats afterwards. The café was small but cozy, a few patrons enjoying their time, the smell of coffee thick in the air. It was the perfect environment to relax and unwind but Jinyoung was restless. He couldn’t look at Jaebum’s face—the feeling of shame building up as he waited for their drinks—opting to stare at the table between them instead. It didn’t help that Jaebum himself was silent; arms folded as he leaned back in his seat; eyes closed and breathing even. The guy probably enjoyed the quietness, only opening his mouth to ask him what type of drinks and sweets he wanted, ordering an iced Americano for Jinyoung and one dark milk tea for himself with some macaroons one the side. 

Jinyoung, on the other hand, couldn’t handle the silence. It gave him anxiety. He hated the feeling. He hated how the sound of his breathing and heartbeat intensified; when his hands started to sweat profusely; when even the sound of the bell dinging signaling a customer had entered or left the café can make him flinch and his heartbeat stop— and flinch he did when Jaebum suddenly called his name causing him to knock over the drinks that had just arrived. He watched in terror as the content poured onto Jaebum, staining his white shirt— _he picked one hell of a day to wear that color for sure_ — a curse spouted from his mouth as he jumped out of his seat.

Jaebum grimaced. His shirt clung onto his skin where the coffee had spilled, some of it trickling to his jeans and his shoes after he stood up. He glanced towards the mess on the table, eyeing the plate of macaroons that had turned soggy because of the incident— _ahh, no sweets for you today, Im Jaebum_.

He staggered towards Jaebum, mouthing apologies as he tried to clean the mess he made but halted when Jaebum nudged his hands away. Jinyoung was appalled, face turning pale as he brought his gaze towards Jaebum’s face, predicting the worst to happen but was stunned to see a small smirk playing on his lips. “Are you always this clumsy?” Jaebum shook his head and pulled him to the empty seat next to their table, “Stay here. I’m going to clean my shirt in the restroom and don’t worry about the mess, I’ll ask a staff to help clean it.” Jinyoung nodded wordlessly. His eyes followed Jaebum as he made his way to the restroom after he went to inform the staff at the counter— who had witnessed everything but decided not to intervene— bowing as he apologized for the inconvenience. 

“I’m sorry for the mess…” Jinyoung uttered timidly, cheeks turning red as he watched the staff clean the mess he had made. He wanted to help but decided against it, afraid that he might tear down the whole building with how weird he was acting that day. The staff grinned and shook her head, “It’s okay. Accidents happen, besides if I were going out with someone _that hot_ , I would be tripping all over the place too.” His eyes widened. “Umm.. We’re not—“

“Do you still want coffee?” Jaebum emerged. His shirt was damp and the coffee stain didn’t vanish completely, but it would suffice for the moment.

“No, it’s okay—“Jinyoung smiled“—I should go home before anything else happen.”

Jaebum nodded. They thanked the staff and exited the café, parting ways after Jinyoung apologized for the hundredth time that day.

“What’s so funny?” the sound of Mark’s voice brought him back to the current situation. Jackson’s eyes had started to water, traces of laughter still evident on his face. Mark discarded his backpack and proceeded to seat next to Jackson. He raised his eyebrows, eyeing both Jinyoung and Jackson as he made himself comfortable. 

“Mark! Oh my god! You wouldn’t believe me if I tell you! You see.. Jinyoung here—“ 

He watched as Jackson began to tell the story to Mark, Jackson’s expressive face a contrast to Mark’s calm one, but by the time he was finished both of them stared at him; face unreadable. It was quiet for a moment before both of them started to burst into laughter, heads thrown back and hitting each other with the pillows. 

“I hate you guys.” Jinyoung said with no traces of malice in his tone.

“I still can’t believe they flirted and totally ignored me. You should have seen them, Mark!” Jackson huffed as he shook his head, “So when are you going to date the guy? Or you already started and this whole _I only met him twice_ situation is a total bluff?” Jackson demanded; eyes squinted as he stared into Jinyoung’s. 

“I’m not going to _date_ Jaebum or any other guy—EVER. It’s a waste of my time and I barely even know him. It’s not a bluff Jackson. I don’t even have the guy’s number and the chances of us meeting again would be zero-to-none, so don’t bother.” He stood up and made his way towards his room, leaving Mark and Jackson on the couch, a knowing look painted on each of their faces as they watched him go. He had enough of the meaningless conversation, choosing to end his night earlier than usual so that he won’t have to deal with them pestering him. 

As he lay on his bed after he cleaned up and changed into his pajamas, the events of the day started playing on his mind. He stared at the ceiling and sighed. Tomorrow would be a better day, Jinyoung was sure of it. He had been unlucky for the past few weeks but maybe he will have a better luck next time.

**~`~`~`~`~`~**

By ‘next time’, he was hoping it would be sooner than he expected, but he can only continue to hope as he lay down in despair on the concrete pathway, eyes shut tight to avoid looking at the man— _the one and only Im Jaebum_ — that was currently crouching next to him, a few giggles escaped Jaebum’s lips as the dog—a German shepherd that had just chased Jinyoung to death a while ago—licking and nuzzling Jaebum’s face like she had known him for years.

Jinyoung had wanted to go to the library at his university that lovely morning, but as soon as he stepped out of his apartment; descending the stairs of the seven-story building instead of using the elevator as it was on maintenance; he came face to face with the dog. He didn’t know what had triggered her. He didn’t even do anything. He just ignored her when she barked at him and ambled towards his destination—but maybe she didn’t like being ignored, or maybe she just doesn’t like him in general—so she kept barking at him and blocked his way, and when she attempted to bite him; Jinyoung panicked.

“What’s your problem?!” he shrieked.

He kicked her on reflex when she jumped towards him, causing her to stumble to the ground, and Jinyoung knew he was a dead man soon after. When it growled and bared her teeth, he waited no further and ran for his life. 

_Ugh.. Why me?! What did I do in my past life?!_

“Answer me, GOD! What did I do to deserve this! I just wanted to read books! You hate my nerdy ass that bad?! WHYYYY?!” he yelled as he ran, face tilted towards the sky like he was actually expecting an answer. Luckily nobody was there to witness him go mad as the residential area was quite secluded.

Jinyoung panted, he felt his heart was about to burst from how hard it was beating; mostly of fear. He’s a healthy adult male. He exercise regularly and has fair amount of muscles but he knew he couldn’t outrun a dog. He analyzed for an escape as he sprinted, the sound of the dog barking getting louder by the second. The road and sidewalk was vacant. He couldn’t risk getting into one of the alleyways in fear he would stumble into a dead end and most of the shops weren’t open yet. 

He took a sharp right at the junction, glancing over his shoulder to see how far he was from the dog, and came crashing into a passerby. “Fuc—“the wind got knocked out of him as he fell to the ground on his ass. Jinyoung groaned when the pain intensified when he tried to move, so he decided to sit and wait for the pain to go away, and that was the moment when he noticed Jaebum sprawled on the ground a few inches from him. _Yes, thank you god. You just made my day better_.

Jaebum groaned, face contort in pain. “What in the world..” he whispered in disbelief as his eyes landed on him. Jinyoung mentally rolled his eyes, having no energy left to do it physically. He sighed as he watched Jaebum rolled over, crouching and proceeded to stand. He opened his mouth; a remark was ready on the tip of his tongue but stopped when he heard a growl behind him. He whirled around—ignoring the pain that shot up his back—face turning pale and heart beating faster as he faced the dog; sharp canines glistening in front of his face. He squeezed his eyes shut, praying for his life. _God, I’m sorry for being rude! Please spare my life! I don’t want to die a virgin!_

He squinted one of his eyes open when he heard Jaebum’s footsteps approaching cautiously from behind, causing the dog to shift her attention towards him. She barked at him but Jaebum was composed, a determine glint in his eyes. Jinyoung stayed still, afraid that one wrong move could set her off and Jaebum seemed like the better target at the moment. He watched silently as Jaebum squatted next to him. He reached for her slowly, making soothing noises and inching closer towards her. Jinyoung was silently hoping she would bite him already, but she did the total opposite—she sniffed his hand and licked it! 

So that’s how he ended up lying on the floor, feeling defeated and slightly jealous that Jaebum could even make a dog—that literally tried to kill Jinyoung—to like him. He opened his eyes, watching in envy as the dog kept butting her nose with Jaebum who was grinning and giggling like a kid on his birthday. He doesn’t know if he’s more jealous of Jaebum or the dog at the moment.

Jinyoung sighed and stood up. He cleared his throat to get Jaebum’s attention but was totally ignored. He huffed, rolling his eyes yet again and decided to leave them alone. _I should go while I can, before that dog decided to attack me again_. He turned away, glancing at them one more time; a grin forming on his face at the sight of how happy Jaebum looked. _Yep, time to go… and drop that grin, Park Jinyoung_. He shook his head and walked away but stopped dead in his tracks when he accidentally kicked something. He looked at the object on the ground near him; it was a digital camera. He crouched and took the object. He inspected the camera in his hand; grey in color and a small ‘defsoul’ written at the corner.

There were no traces of damage, only a few scratches from where it had hit the ground. “Is this yours?” he asked, looking at Jaebum leisurely petting the dog that had made its way into his lap. _Even the dog’s luckier than me_.

“Oh yeah! I almost forgot,” Jaebum exclaimed. He pushed the dog away gently, earning a whine of protest from it as he stood up, patting his jeans to clear away the dust. Jinyoung made his way towards him and handed the camera, glaring at the dog as she kept rubbing her head against Jaebum’s feet, occasionally growling at Jinyoung as if to remind him of where he stood between them. 

“It must have flown out of my hands when we crashed earlier—“he watched as Jaebum turned on the camera, angling the lens towards his face and pressed the shutter, capturing the image of Jinyoung’s confused face,”—Thanks.” He grinned, eyes turning into crescents, the morning sun shining its warm golden light over his features, making him looked more ethereal than he already was. Jinyoung blushed. “You can’t just do that...” he mumbled, averting his eyes from Jaebum’s as the latter stared at him. 

“What?” Jaebum questioned, eyebrows scrunched and head tilted. _Cute… wait—WHAT?_

“Umm.. You can’t just.. urr..” he stammered, finding it hard to form sentences the longer he looked at Jaebum. The guy was waiting patiently for Jinyoung’s explanation, standing in the same posture, his cat-like eyes blinking innocently—which totally baffles him on how someone could look sexy and cute at the same time with a confused expression…

_Did I just admit he looked cute AND sexy?! Oh my god Jinyoung you better shut up before you say that to his face!_

WOOF! WOOF!

Jaebum averted his eyes from him, looking at the dog as she jumped around him to get his attention. “What are we going to do with her?” Jaebum asked, glancing at Jinyoung, a worried look plastered on his face.

“What?” he let out a breath, thanking the dog in his mind for the diversion. “Nope. I think you can clearly see how much she _hates_ me so there are no ‘we’ in this situation,” he huffed, ignoring the frown on Jaebum’s face at his statement. “It’s all on you.”

“But you were the one who crashed into me and I _saved_ you, okay… She would probably bite your face off if it weren’t for me, so you kinda owe me…” he shrugged. 

“Why don’t you just adopt her then? She’s certainly fond of you.” Jinyoung suggested. He attempted to pet her, thinking she might have warm up to him but retracted his hand when she growled. “You see that? I like dogs but this one hates me, so it’ll be better if you take care of her.”

“I would love to but I can’t.” Jaebum uttered. He didn’t explain why, and Jinyoung didn’t ask for more— _he probably has his own reason anyways_. “You think someone might have lost her?”

“I don’t know. There’s no collar on her but she couldn’t be a stray; she’s clean and looks healthy.” Jinyoung answered, lips pursed as he thought of a solution.

“Strays can be clean too, you know.” 

“How about we bring her to a rescue centre then?” he said and smiled when Jaebum nodded hesitantly, “You don’t look entirely sure with the idea though.”

“Umm… it’s nothing. So, where’s this rescue centre you were talking about?”

Jinyoung hummed. “Follow me. I’ll show you where it is.” He grabbed Jaebum’s hands and laced their fingers together, tugging at them when Jaebum didn’t bugde. “W-What are you doing?” Jaebum asked, his face turning red as he glanced at Jinyoung’s firm grip on his hand.

“I’m going to show you where the rescue centre is,” he smirked. “Are you sick? Your face is really red,” Jinyoung suppressed a laugh as he watched Jaebum turned redder than he already was, feeling smug that he could make Jaebum react this way. He usually wasn’t this daring, but after encountering with Jaebum a few times and getting flustered at everything he does; he decided to return the favor— and that he really likes the feeling of Jaebum’s hands but nobody needs to know that. 

“What about the dog?” Jaebum asked, finally clasping his fingers with Jinyoung’s.

“Don’t worry.” Jinyoung smiled, feeling giddy all of a sudden. “She has functioning legs so you don’t have to carry her or anything. And I’m sure she’ll follow you.” Jinyoung eyes travelled towards the dog, his smile turned mocking as she growled at him. 

“C’mon, let’s go! We’re burning daylight here!” Jaebum chuckled as Jinyoung tugged his hand persistently, the dog following close as they ambled towards their destination.

"So... Are you single?"

Jinyoung literally chocked on air at the question uttered from Jaebum. He faced him, face bewildered. Jaebum smirked at his reaction. He raised his eyebrow and chuckled when Jinyoung started to stutter for an answer. “I’m just messing with you,” he said, pinching Jinyoung’s cheeks with his free hand. Jinyoung’s breath hitched at Jaebum’s actions, face turning red and he was sure Jaebum noticed it as his expression turned sly. “Are you sick, Jinyoungie?” he slurred, face inching closer towards him. “Cause your face is really. _Really_. Red.” Jaebum burst into laughter as Jinyoung groaned and turned his face away to hide his red cheeks.

Jinyoung glanced towards Jaebum, his eyes narrowed as the guy kept on laughing; head thrown back and mouth wide open, making him look like a dinosaur. Jinyoung sighed.

_This is totally not good for my heart..._

 

_Or is it?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'll update the chapters slower from now on.  
> i'm going to university next few weeks (ಥ﹏ಥ) so i wont have much time to write..  
> BUT the fic is not dead! i wont abandon it! i'll just take more time to write it(ﾉ≧ڡ≦)
> 
> Jinyoung is getting BOLDER! u gooo booiii! and they'll start to know about each other more on the next chap~~  
> and i decided not to add more tags. for me, tags= spoiler  
> so thats a no no..
> 
> THAnK You for the Kudos and Comments! I really appreciate it! (⺣◡⺣)♡*


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